#dental anxiety in children

[stgeorgekids]

First Visit To St. George Kids Dental?

Welcome! We’re looking forward to meeting and getting to know you and your child at their first “Happy Visit!”. Wait, “dentist appointment” in the same sentence as happy? Yep- depending on the age of your child and the reason for visiting, we do things a little differently.

Assessment

Nobody wants to force a child into a scary experience, which is why we first assess the child’s level of anxiety and willingness to experience different procedures. If your child is willing and able we start with Xrays, move on to a cleaning and follow up with an exam by one of our doctors, and fluoride treatment.

[smilesandheartsclinic]

How We Use Calming Techniques to Help Children Overcome Dental Anxiety 🦷💖

At Smiles and Hearts, our Pediatric Dentist in Gurgaon is dedicated to making sure every child feels comfortable during their dental visits. We use calming techniques that help reduce anxiety and create a positive experience for your little ones.

Guided Breathing & Relaxation 😌 We teach children simple breathing exercises to calm their nerves, helping them stay relaxed and focused during the appointment.

Distraction Techniques 🎧 Fun distractions like music, videos, or storytelling are used to keep your child’s mind off the treatment, making the experience less stressful.

Gentle & Patient Approach ✨ Our team takes the time to explain each step to your child, so they know what to expect. We use a gentle touch, ensuring they feel safe and supported.

These techniques help us make dental visits easy and stress-free for your child! 💙

Source: https://posts.gle/hzGe1E

[palms-upturned]

If you have some money to spare today, please consider donating to @alaa-pales! Alaa is a young dental student trying to raise funds to evacuate with thirteen members of her family, including several children, one of which is a newborn, and one of which has Downs Syndrome, which has caused many complications with his heart and breathing due to increased anxiety.

Alaa’s campaign can be found on line 395 of Operation Olive Branch’s master list of verified campaigns, but Alaa has been having trouble getting much traction because both the fundraiser title and the link in OOB’s spreadsheet is outdated, making it harder to find Alaa in a search of the spreadsheet. If you go to the campaign linked in line 395, you find an old gofundme page of Alaa’s, with an update from a few days ago saying that the campaign would have to be refunded due to difficulties with finding a benefactor based in Australia. The update links to a new campaign created for Alaa, which is the same fundraiser that Alaa has been sharing here on tumblr. But the combination of difficulty finding Alaa on the spreadsheet to confirm that she’s been verified, along with the fact that even if you do find her, you’re led to the wrong gofundme, has made it very difficult for Alaa to raise any funds. She has so far only raised $120/$20k CAD.

Please, if you have anything to give, consider giving to Alaa and her family today.

[avonne-writes]

sweetest of the sunflowers

Fandom: Masters of the Air

Pairing: Buck/Bucky

Rating, word count: T, 4k

Summary: John takes care of Gale after his wisdom teeth surgery. (young vets au)

A/N: This is my gift to the amazing, sweet @bcolfanfic in the HBO War Summer Exchange organized by @hbowardaily (thank you for all your work!). My prompt was hurt/comfort with Buck and Bucky, preferably in the young vets au. Mollie, I hope you'll like what I came up with, I tried to do your lovely au justice. Happy exchange day, dear 💕

Link to the AO3 post

Bucky taps his right foot against the ugly brown-gray vinyl of the waiting room's floor, trying to focus. Goosebumps skitter down his arms, but he doesn’t know if it’s from the cold air blasting from the dental clinic's AC to combat the summer heat or if it’s a symptom of his mounting anxiety. Somewhere behind the door he has been staring at for the better half of an hour, Gale is getting his wisdom teeth pulled out under general anesthesia. He’s unconscious, at their mercy. What if something goes wrong? What if they measured the drugs incorrectly and he never wakes up? What if there are complications and he wakes up in excruciating pain? Bucky bounces his knee and digs the fingers of his right hand into the back of his left in a white-knuckled grip. The faux-leather chair creaks under him, barely containing his bulk. 

When his ears pick up on the blare of an approaching ambulance, his head snaps up like a hypervigilant dog’s. It’s not coming here, the rational part of his mind reasons. Everything is okay with Gale. No complications, just a clean, routine surgery, and he’ll be back to normal in a few days. But the sound of the siren keeps getting louder. It’s impossible to ignore it. Bucky’s pounding heartbeat plays a cresting drum solo to accompany it. His mind jumps back to that dreadful night when he tried to end it all. How the ambulance sped with him through those dark Wyoming roads, the long hours when he could barely tell if he was dead or alive, and whether life was the better option out of the two. The most fretful sleep he has ever had.

He remembers how Gale followed him with the car all the way there in the middle of the night. Seven hours. What if Bucky has to do the same for him? What if something happened in there, behind that dark door, and the ambulance is coming to take Gale and rush him to the ER? 

Nervous sweat gathers under Bucky's arms, soaking into his short-sleeved shirt. After they’d called Gale in for his surgery, he went down a rabbit hole of Reddit posts and articles describing the most horrifying wisdom teeth surgery outcomes until he felt like he was going to throw up. He was itching for a smoke - or better yet, a drink, since he has a flask hidden in the glove compartment of the car - but he held himself back. Gale needs him to be at full capacity today. He’s determined to stay firmly planted in his seat until they call for him to take Gale home. 

His leg continues jiggling in agitation until the ambulance comes into view through the wide windows of the clinic. Bucky clenches his teeth, but it just speeds down the road in a plume of dust, its destination unknown. It wasn’t coming to the dental clinic. 

Never even blinking, he keeps staring at the window in utter stillness for a long moment before he finally relaxes. When he sinks back in his chair and looks around the room, several pairs of eyes flicker away. The flush of embarrassment creeps up his neck, especially when he spots a teary-eyed kid with trembling lips clinging to his mom. Fuck, Croz was right not to let him babysit in the state he's in. He’s not fit to be around children. Not fit to be around anyone, he thinks with a dark tone. He’s in public, completely sober, and still, he can’t get a grip on himself and ended up scaring a child, who must have already been in need of comfort because dentists are freakin’ scary. What would Bucky’s episodes do to a kid of his own? No, he can’t subject anyone to that. He can’t even bring himself to think about it. It’s more than enough to see how badly it affects Gale, and Gale is a grown-ass man who sticks around out of his own volition. Before he could even consider parenthood, he needs to get better first.

“Don’t worry, dear.” The elderly woman sitting next to him tells him gently and pats the back of Bucky’s linked hands. “They’re the best around here. They’ll sort your teeth out before you know it. You won’t feel a thing.”

Bucky clears his throat and croaks out a thanks, glancing around and finding strangers turning away again as they get startled by him looking back. He knows his ears must be bright red. I’m a veteran, he wants to tell them. The shit I’ve seen doesn’t go away just like that. But what kind of an excuse is that? By all means, he should have already recovered. He’s not the one whose leg - He shuts that thought down before he could spiral deeper into it. This is neither the place, nor the time. Gale depends on him. He had tried to postpone his own surgery because of Bucky’s issues until his sister found out about it and had a tense talk with both of them. What does that say about Bucky as a husband? It’s high time for him to step up and show Gale that he’s there for Gale too, not just the other way around. He can’t let him down by causing a scene or freaking out. 

Besides, it’s nice not to be “the crazy vet” for once. Now, he’s just the hulking guy with the dentist phobia. Marginally better.

He spins his wedding band around his finger to distract himself. He wants to text Curt just to have someone tell him he’s an idiot to worry and nothing’s gonna happen, but he holds himself back. His incessant unhinged texts and calls are enough of a burden already. He’ll manage this on his own for as long as he can.

Suddenly, the door swings open and the peppy assistant steps out, smiling as she calls for “Mr. Egan.”

Bucky goes deaf and blind from nerves for a split second before he stands up, wipes his clammy palms on his thighs and makes his shaky legs carry him to follow after the woman. She smiles at him warmly as if she hasn’t noticed. 

“Did -” Bucky clears his throat again once they're inside. He struggles with the words, feeling awkward. This place is nothing like the psych ward, but clinical environments will probably never fail to unsettle him. “Did it go all right?”

“Yes, everything went well. All impacted teeth have been removed without any complications.” She directs her cheerful expression at him again as they walk past the operatory. “Mr. Cleven is just through here, in our recovery room.” 

She gestures at the second door they’re approaching. “He’ll be a bit dazed and confused, and he might not be in control of what he says, but remember that this is perfectly normal after anesthesia. Try to reassure him and keep him calm. He needs to stay in the recovery room for at least thirty minutes, then the doctor’s going to check if everything is all right, and whether Mr. Cleven is able to stand and walk on his own.” Her reassuring smile never wavers, and her persistence pays off - Bucky feels the worst of his anxiety drain from his body. “If all is well, he’ll be discharged and you can take him home.”

Bucky nods, feeling slightly dazed himself. He already knew what to expect, but he doesn’t know what the reality of that is going to look like. Gale was so anxious about this part beforehand, and it’s easy to understand why. Helplessness and loss of control would be scary to anyone, but to Gale? It’s a nightmare. He was so scared of it that he refused his sister’s offer to be here in Bucky’s place. I’m not letting anyone else see me like that, John, he said when Bucky tried to discuss whether that would have been the better idea instead. Bucky can only hope that he can provide him enough support. 

He exchanges a few more words and a quiet thanks with the assistant, then pushes the door handle hesitantly.

The room is specifically designed to be a calming space for recovery after procedures requiring anesthesia. It’s quiet, the walls are painted in warm beiges and browns, and the lights are much dimmer than the harsh neon of the operatory. There’s a small cot in one corner and several padded chairs scattered around. Opposite, close to a door with a bathroom sign, a comfy-looking brown recliner armchair takes up the space. That’s where Bucky finds Gale sitting with his feet propped up and his hands limp on the armrests as though the staff arranged him like that themselves. Gale watches him silently, with hooded blue eyes that match his t-shirt and a displeased downward curve of his mouth that makes him look like a cat. There’s gauze sticking out between his lips, but otherwise, he looks fine.

Bucky feels like the sharp inhale of relief he takes is the first one since he saw Gale walk inside.

“Hi sweetheart.” He says gently as he pads over to Gale and pulls up a chair on Gale’s right side. He doesn’t know why he lowers his voice. It’s not as if speaking louder would hurt Gale. He feels ridiculous for it, but it’s instinctive. He hopes Gale doesn’t mind. With a sigh, he sits down and takes Gale’s hand.

Gale pulls it away sluggishly. “Don’t touch me.”

Bucky’s heart freezes in his chest at those slurred words. Is Gale angry with him? Or is he in pain, maybe? How can Bucky make it better? “I’m sorry. I won’t touch you if you don’t want me to.”

At a snail’s pace, Gale turns his head to direct his hazy gaze at the door. “You’re handsome but I have a husband, you know.” He mumbles, barely able to get the words out clear enough to be understood. “I’m not a widower.”

The way Bucky’s heart sinks leaves him lightheaded. He has seen a lot of videos about people saying weird things after sedation and he laughed heartily at them all. But there’s nothing funny about this. Nothing. Not being recognized wounds already, but it’s Gale’s second sentence that leaves him truly speechless with guilt and grief. It sounded like Gale was trying to reassure himself that he does, indeed, still have a husband. That the bullet went into the wall, and Bucky to the psych ward instead of the cemetery. There’s nothing funny about hearing Gale unintentionally admit that he thought he might become a widower.

“I know.” Bucky tells him, trying not to get overwhelmed. “I know, darling. It’s me. I’m your husband.”

Gale frowns at the door and blinks slowly, not turning back to Bucky. “My husband is a soldier. A soldier… Your’re in jeans.”

It takes a second for Bucky to make sense of the logic of Gale’s jumbled thoughts and realize that he expected someone in uniform. He’s not sure how to argue with that, so he just bites his lip and reaches for Gale’s hand again. He remembers not to touch only at the last moment, so his hand is left hanging awkwardly on the armrest. Gale’s head tilts as he looks down at it. Slowly, he touches Bucky’s ring with a fingertip and tries to spin it on Bucky’s finger, but his strength leaves him after a moment and he lets his hand drop into Bucky’s open palm. Bucky shifts to hold it properly. This time, Gale doesn’t protest. 

“Gale, look at me, sweetheart. It’s me, John. Bucky.”

Gale’s pale blue eyes find his, blink a few times, then Gale’s lips split into a loopy smile that Bucky finds adorable despite the gauze sticking out of his mouth.

“John!” Gale exclaims, startling Bucky with the volume. “I missed you!”

Despite the fact that he’s still reeling from the reminder that he almost left Gale forever, Bucky can’t help but smile back. “I missed you too. How are you feeling?”

Gale gives him a stricken look and wetness wells up in his eyes. He tries to reach for his own face but seems to decide that he doesn’t have the strength to do it after all and lets his free hand drop back in his lap. “They took all my teeth.” He sniffles.

“No, they didn’t. Don’t worry, they’re still there.”

“They took them!” Gale insists, waving with his arm. He drops his head back against the chair, closes his eyes and makes a crying sound. “I have no teeth and you won’t love me anymore.”

Rationally, Bucky knows that he and Gale are going to laugh at some of the things Gale is saying right now, once Gale is back to himself, but he still feels his heart ache from how vulnerable Gale is like this. What if Bucky couldn't be here? What if the bullet hadn’t gone into the wall, but hit its target instead? Bucky’s guilt intensifies until he can barely take it. He pulls Gale’s hand to his lips and presses a kiss to it. “Do you trust me?”

Gale looks up at him with watery eyes. “Yes.”

“I would still love you without teeth, Gale. But they didn’t take all your teeth, I promise. Only your wisdom teeth.”

“You still love me?” The words stumble wetly from Gale’s mouth. He ignores the rest of what Bucky told him.

“Of course I love you.” Bucky smiles and presses another kiss to Gale’s hand, to which Gale’s reaction is patting at Bucky’s mouth clumsily. He rubs at Bucky’s moustache, seemingly fascinated by those short whiskers of hair. He looks lost in his delirious thoughts. Bucky lets him - he doesn’t think he could deny Gale anything now, so overcome he is with fondness.

“I wanted a bunny.” Gale says mournfully. His articulation is getting better, but his eyes are still unfocused and he clearly doesn’t have any of his filters working. “For my birthday. A black bunny. Not white because white bunnies have red eyes.”

Bucky can’t help it, he snorts a laugh. Gale snickers along with him, completely out of it. Gently, Bucky pulls Gale’s hand away and holds it in his own. “This year?” Probably not, but it’s a hilarious thought nonetheless.

Gale doesn’t answer. He stares at Bucky, narrows his eyes, then widens them in a look of wonder and glances around the room. His head tilts in a way that suggests he can barely hold it up. “Whoa, can we get one of these chairs?”

A frown pulls at Bucky’s eyebrows. “Which ones?”

“The blue ones.” Gale says, pointing shakily at the corner of the room that’s set up for children. There’s a low table with sheets of paper and crayons scattered on it, and around it, a few plastic kid chairs.

Bucky stifles another laugh. “Those are for kids, baby. I know you keep saying I’m a big child, but I don’t think that could hold my weight.”

Gale hums. It stretches out so long that it’s like a growl, as if he enjoys the vibration of his own voice and doesn’t want to stop until he runs out of breath. “‘s for our kid.”

Bucky’s smile falls. “Our kid?”

They haven’t talked about that since Bucky’s… Since the worst night of his life. It was clear as day that they couldn’t bring another soul into the mess he caused with his fucked-up mental health. Gale never mentioned it, never even hinted at it since that night. The longing is still there in his eyes whenever he sees Bucky play with children, but this is the first time that Bucky heard it from his mouth that he wants a kid. That he still wants it, after everything.

“I think they’d like it, it’s - it’s -” Gale doesn’t finish his thought out loud, but jumps straight to the next. “You’d be a wonderful dad. The best dad. I’ve thought it all out.” He nods to himself. “The best dad.”

For the second time since he entered the room, Bucky’s heart contracts painfully. “I'm not fit to be a dad, Gale. Not now.”

Gale makes a sudden, wide gesture of frustration and hits Bucky’s arm by accident, but it’s too weak to hurt. “Told you I’d thought it all out.” He mumbles something unintelligible, then drops his head back against the chair. “You take good care of your plants. The plants love you, John. They’re beautiful.” He takes a deep breath and sighs as if settling down to sleep. “I love you too.”

Bucky doesn’t know what to say, so he just swipes his thumb back and forth over the back of Gale’s hand and goes for humor. “And you’re beautiful. I think I see a pattern there.”

“Yes, I’m beautiful.” Gale smiles, as if anything Bucky told him now was a universal truth. "You’re not allowed to kiss me."

Bucky bites back a grin. He may not be allowed but it sounds like Gale certainly wants him to break that rule. "Why not?"

"Dangerous." Gale pouts and touches his own lips. Before he could stick his fingers in his mouth to explore what must be a weird sensation of numbness in there, Bucky grabs his wrist and pulls it away.

"How about a kiss on the cheek, hm?" He shakes Gale’s hands playfully. He knows he shouldn't French kiss Gale for 24 hours after surgery, but that doesn’t mean that everything is off the table. "I think that’s allowed."

After a moment of contemplative silence, Gale gives him an uncoordinated nod. "Only if you keep it a secret."

"Deal." Bucky chuckles and presses a kiss to Gale’s cheek, where it curves like an apple whenever Gale smiles wide.

“Can we go home now?” He hears Gale ask when he pulls back.

He glances at the clock on the wall. “We need to stay here for a few more minutes. Just until you feel better.”

“Oh, okay.” Gale says, then, immediately after, “I feel better.” 

“You need to be able to walk first.”

Gale’s eyes snap open and he starts wrestling with gravity to pull himself up and out of the chair. “I can walk.”

Bucky tries to nudge him back down. “Don’t be impatient. We’re not running anywhere, are we?”

“I’m running.” Gale declares with all the determination and none of the muscle control needed for a normal gait. He pushes himself to the edge of the armchair, which already proves to be a struggle, then he turns sideways instead of tilting the recliner back into its default position. “I’m good at it.”

“Easy, easy.” Bucky stands up and places his hands on Gale’s shoulders lightly. An amused smile plays around his lips. “Why don’t you stay put, just for a little while more? Hm?”

A small, frustrated grunt escapes Gale’s lips as he tries to push himself up. “I can do it.”

“Gale, sit your ass down.”

The forlorn look on Gale’s face makes Bucky’s smile widen in fondness. 

Gale glares at him, profoundly annoyed. “I can walk. I could do a cartwheel. I just don’t want to.”

“Sure you could.”

“I’m the best at cartwheels. The best. Better than you. I practiced in our backyard.”

“Our backyard?”

“I don’t know.” Gale huffs, then shakes his head. “Practiced after school.”

Bucky bites his bottom lip to keep from grinning. It must have been primary or middle school then. He imagines a wildly blond ten-year-old falling all over himself in the grass, stubborn to get it right. “Did you wanna impress someone?”

Gale hums in agreement, then hugs Bucky around the waist with his trembling arms. He pushes his forehead against Bucky’s stomach. “John, I wanna go home.”

“Shh.” Bucky soothes him, stroking his hair. When he puts a hand on each of Gale’s arms, Gale goes completely limp. He lets Bucky hold him up. “I’ll take you home in no time.”

“Can we go to Subway first?” Gale’s voice is muffled in his shirt. It’s not terribly slurred anymore, but it isn’t clear and measured either. “Like a date? Like a Bagram date. Can you take me back to Bagram? I wanna flirt with you.”

Bucky laughs softly and rocks them back and forth in place. He doesn’t like to think of Bagram, but the memories of their Subway dates remain bright, happy spots like a string of fairy lights in the clusterfuck of darkness the rest of it became. He makes a mental note to take Gale out on a date once he’s allowed to eat solid food again. “You don’t need to go back to Bagram to flirt with me.”

“I’m flirting with you now.” Gale says automatically, and tightens his arms around Bucky’s waist. “I think it’s working.”

Bucky grins and pushes a hand under the collar of Gale’s shirt to stroke his back the way Gale likes it. “Yeah? What gave me away?”

As he turns his head sideways, Bucky can see that Gale’s eyes are closed, and he’s smiling. “Just a gut feeling.” Gale hums contemplatively. “And Curt says so too.”

“Curt, huh?”

“Curt loves you too.” 

Golden warmth spreads through Bucky’s chest. It’s strange that marriage can feel like this sometimes. Affection so deep that it wounds. “Makes sense, since he claims to be a pretty boy.”

Gale giggles.

They stay embracing like that until Gale’s dentist comes back to check if he can be discharged.

~♡~

On the way home, in the familiar safety of their car, Gale gets even chattier than before. He narrates the entire drive, happy and relaxed, and sings along to the Fleetwood Mac songs Bucky put in his playlist. It’s only when Bucky turns the car onto their driveway that he quiets down. He doesn’t say anything when they stop, not even when Bucky gives him a reassuring smile. He stays silent even as Bucky climbs out of the car, circles around to his side and unbuckles his seatbelt. However, as Bucky helps him out of his seat, his limbs start trembling again.

At first, Bucky thinks it's muscle weakness, but when he loops Gale’s arm around his shoulders to walk him inside, Gale’s steps are steadier than he expected. He guides Gale into the bedroom and helps him lie down under the covers, but still, Gale doesn’t stop shaking. He’s very lethargic now, but when Bucky sits on the mattress beside him and runs a hand through his blond hair, his lips curl into a faint smile.

“Do you need anything?” Bucky asks quietly.

Gale gives him a tired look. “I'm cold.”

“Oh.” Bucky wants to slap himself for not considering that. He roots around in their closet until he finds Gale’s JSTOR sweater, then helps Gale into it, one arm at a time. He wishes Gale had told him sooner or that he’d realized what the shaking meant, but he can’t do anything about that now.

When he tries to tuck the blanket around Gale again, Gale pulls at his arm until Bucky lies down too, spooning Gale from behind. Speckles of marigold-yellow light sneak in through the half-drawn blinds. Some of them dance on the books lying on Gale’s nightstand, sparks of magic on the colourful covers. Bucky feels himself relax just looking at it.

“You’d be the best dad.” Gale repeats. His breathing slows down. “Told you.”

“All right.”

“I'm so tired.”

Bucky presses a kiss to the back of Gale's neck and breathes in his sweet scent, the smell of home. “Go to sleep.”

“I don't want to.”

“Why not?”

It takes Gale so long to reply that Bucky thinks he has fallen asleep. But eventually, he mumbles something into his pillow. “I'm scared.”

“Don’t be.” Bucky tells him softly and strokes his arm, then his side before wrapping his arm around his waist again. He slots his body as close to Gale's as possible to cradle him in warmth and comfort. “I'm here.”

Gale tightens his grip on Bucky’s hand. “Promise you won’t leave me.”

Bucky squeezes back. “I promise. I’ll be here when you wake up, baby.”

Safe in his arms, Gale finally falls asleep.

[ghostbxne]

a bit self-indulgent edward nashton headcanons bc im going insane and i have to share my though with the world

- he guessed the joker’s riddle wrong. joker didn’t mean to call himself his „friend”, he literally introduced himself as „ the joker” - the card. the less you have the more one is worth (jokers in a deck of cards) (but maybe im overthinking this lol)

- his teeth are not taken care of. the orphanage did not provide proper dental care for the children, so his teeth are crooked and he has a few cavities. he would like to get braces but still can’t afford it

tw: self harm mention in the next one

- he self harms (honestly thats canon, in the year one comic we see him as a child and his hands with very prominent bite marks). he also punches walls (implied in the batman movie when he slaps a wall in his cell in the asylum)

- he stims (in the year one comic he thinks to himself „stop chewing on your glasses, edward”) and is autistic (literally gets called „rain man” in the year one comic) but undiagnosed due to his financial situation and fear of any doctors (my personal headcanon, but also implied considering how the medical staff at the orphanage treated kids)

- cannot cook to save his life. he buys pre-made food or makes really bad watery soups so he can put them in cups and drink them while working

- usually keeps his nails a little longer. he picks at his skin a lot so it annoys him when his nails are very short

- has ocd (implied in the year one comic (intrusive thoughts) and in the movie (compulsive writing))

- has anxiety (pretty much canon)

- doesn’t really listen to music, he prefers podcasts (canonically listens to a motivational podcast in year one) and audiobooks

- usually wears a few layers of clothing. he’s usually cold and also insecure about his body. (i love his year one cardigan)

- really likes animals, especially dogs. he likes how they don’t leave their owners and are always on their side. would like to have a dog but can’t (obvious reasons)

- has very big trouble managing his emotions (canon) and gets incredibly upset when something doesn’t go his way, even the small things

tw: animal abuse mentioned in the next one

- has a fear of water and drowning (might be from that one time when the guy at the orphanage forced him to drown a rat)

- doesn’t really know how to take care of himself due to childhood neglect

- has nightmares every night. after seeing the batman in real life they stopped for a while (he’d just have no dreams at all and occasionally a very distorted fever dream, but still not a nightmare), but he still kept repeatedly waking up in the middle of the night

alright thats it for now, i might edit the post and add more later or idk😭

[spnscripthunt-inactive]

In Their Own Words: What is the most difficult sacrifice you’ve made to pay down your medical debt?“

“Had to move into rental place from home and not able to buy a house. Cut in some household or good food for kids.” -35 year old woman with $5,000-$10,000 in medical debt, Texas

“Quality of life. We’ve never been able to ‘get ahead’ because we have a 35 year old disabled daughter. We’ve had medical debt for 35 years varying from 30k down to $500.” -60 year old woman with $2,500-$5,000 in medical debt, Tennessee

“Not paying bills on time, creating larger bills due to late fees. Depleted savings.” -38 year old man with $2,500-$5,000 in medical debt, North Carolina

“Cutting out any expenses/services I can. No job, fixed income and chemo. Even with insurance, no one can afford cancer.” -67 year old woman with more than $25,000 in medical debt, Nebraska

“Limiting birthday/Christmas gifts for children and grandchildren.” -83 year old woman with $1,000-$2,500 in medical debt, New Jersey

“Getting a second job. I’m exhausted and I don’t see a way out.” -44 year old woman with $1,000-$2,500 in medical debt, Ohio

“I can’t do anything; I literally stay at home. Never taken my kids on vacation. I’m a single mother and all my money supports the household. So, there are not a lot of extras in my house.” -55 year old woman, with $2,500-$5,000 in medical debt, Missouri

“Strain on relationship with [my] father due to asking for help to pay medical expenses; negative impact on mental health issues (e.g., significant increase in anxiety symptoms).” -35 year old woman with $10,000-$25,000 in medical debt, New York

“This was medical debt for my (now deceased) husband — my credit cards are maxed-out, savings is gone, I will need to relocate to afford rent and pay down bills.” -67 year old woman with $10,000-$25,000 in medical debt, Illinois

Source: Lopes L, Kearney A, Montero A, Hamel L, Brodie M. Health care debt in the U.S.: the broad consequences of medical and dental bills [Internet]. San Francisco (CA): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation; 2022 Jun 16 [cited 2023 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.kff.org/report-section/kff-health-care-debt-survey-main-findings/

—

So far we've raised $3,196.20 [2:11 PM Eastern; Sun Oct 15] for RIP Medical Debt toward our $5,000 goal.

With what we've raised so far RIP can wipe out over $300,000 in medical debt (nationwide).

Our goal is to wipe out $500,000 in medical debt (nationwide) and, as an incentive for donating $10+ we're doing an (optional) raffle of the last of our server (group) purchased scripts.

Key raffle scripts:

$1000 - signed Walker & Gotham Knights pilots

$2000 - Wayward Sisters (by Kim, Briana, Kathryn)

$3000 - The Winchesters (signed by so many)

$4000 - Stranger in a Strange Land (Jensen & Danneel)

$5000 - Lebanon (JDM, Sam Smith, J2, Misha)

Our fundraising page:

[officeobject]

I used to mention this, and I can mention this again: I can't deny nor verify.

ayaanqar95

2h ago

ayaanqar95 asked:

Hello

My name is Aya, and I am reaching out from Gaza, where my family and I are living in constant fear and suffering. Every moment poses a grave danger to our lives due to the ongoing war. The bombing never ceases, and we are running out of food and water.

Every passing minute increases our risk, and our hearts are filled with anxiety and pain. I urgently need your help to evacuate my family from this hell. We are desperately seeking a way out, but we need financial support to do so.😔😔

Please, extend a hand to save us and let the world hear our cries.💔💔

✅️ Verified by @gazavetters, my number on the list is (#217) ✅️

Best regards,

Aya.

Answer

nafezs-blog

4h ago

nafezs-blog asked:

Hello, I am Nafez from Gaza. My house was bombed by the Israeli occupation, and I lost my job. I want to live in a tent with my children, Lynn and Suhaib, and I need your help. 🙏😭🍉

https://gofund.me/c8f02989

Answer

mah99moud

13h ago

mah99moud asked:

Hello dear ❤🇵🇸,

I’m Dr. Mahmoud, a 25-year-old dentist from Gaza. The war has devastated my life and the lives of my family. I was supposed to be an assistant teacher at my university, but I lost both my university and my home. Now, I live in difficult conditions, displaced from one place to another 🇵🇸🍉. I also lost my workplace at a dental clinic and the university 💔.

My baby, Abdullah, was born during the war under challenging circumstances. Unfortunately, the resources to care for him are only available at exorbitant prices 💔.

Can you please donate and reblog my pinned post on my account? 😍🙏 Alternatively, could you help by creating a price list for donors and updating it periodically, or ask someone with a popular blog to publish my campaign? I would be so grateful if you could pin it on your page.

The pinned post shares our story 🇵🇸🕊. Please donate or help by sharing and reblogging it. Every share makes a difference ❤🙏.

Thank you so much for your support.

Answer

rewaaamir1

16h ago

rewaaamir1 asked:

🆘 🆘 A Call for Urgent Help for Our Family in Gaza🚨🇵🇸🍉

Dear Friends and Supporters,🙏

I am reaching out with a heartfelt plea for assistance. My family, consisting of five children and two parents, is in urgent need due to the ongoing crisis in Gaza for the second year of war.

We are struggling to meet our basic needs: rent, food, clean water, and medical expenses. Each day presents new challenges, and my priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of my children, especially after we are afflicted with the ongoing infectious diseases spread in the Gaza like Hepatitis C disease.

If you are in a position to help, any contribution would be immensely appreciated and make a significant difference in our lives.

Thank you for your compassion and support during this critical time.

We hope to help us by donate or reblog/share with others .

Every donation makes a different even if it a small.

Not: our account is Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #155 )

With gratitude,

Rewaa Amir,

This is our link if you need more details of our story 👇👇

https://gofund.me/16f342ff

Answer

[somethinspecial]

Jjba Oc/ Insert Info!

Name: Louis Bell Basil

Namesake: Louis Armstrong

Nicknames: Lou, Bells, Dog, Vamp

Nicknames for others: Dear, Hun, my Love

Gender identity: Afab trans man

Height: 5’6

Weight: 145 lbs

Hair color: brunette

Eye color: Blue

Type of Voice: mid toned with a Cajun accent

Eyesight: worsting over time (wears contacts in later years)

Race and/or ethnicity: white, Cajun French

Hometown/ country: New Orleans/Chalmette

Current residency: Egypt

Religion: n/a

Moral alignment: Lawful neutral

MBTI personality type: Enfp

Medical/Dental health: Arthritis as well as constant trips to the hospital due to work

Mental health: has Anxiety as well as forms of ptsd

Phobias: various but tends to research whatever he fears to desensitize

Scars/Burns/Birthmarks/Tattoos: many scars and other injuries. Has beauty marks and a darker red mark barely noticeable in between brows

Criminal record: n/a

Awards and education: graduated high school, scouted out by the speedwagon foundation and furthering his education into becoming a bodyguard for them.

Past experience: parental divorce leading to a drastic move that took him away from most of his family at a young age.

Thoughts on love: a Romantic at heart even if he acts like it’s silly

Sexual/romantic identity: Pan/ aroace spectrum

People they like: Mya, his grandfather and aunts, some coworkers, thinks highly of the crusaders and later gets to know some through Mya, enjoys the children in the small town he lives in

People they hate: Dio, his minions, his mother for taking him away from his old life and constant abuse of him and his siblings, rude people

Dreams for the future: wants to settle down. Hopes that he can keep up his job as bodyguard to Chaka in the foundation but also works in babysitting/other tasks around town when Chaka’s also at work.

Relationships: close friends with Mya, in a romantic relationship with Chaka

Quotes: “(i’ll)Be back soon”

Hobbies: Horseback riding, working out, reading

Habits: Nail biting, bathing when stressed

Quirks/ unique personality traits: cant help but laugh when others laugh, can be childish, reading out loud, spouting out odd facts

Pet Peeves: loud chewing, fake yelling noises (panics him)

Stand Type: Attack

Stand Name: Little Fang

Stand Range: 2 meters

Destructive power: A

Speed: C

Range: D

Stamina/ Persistence: B

Precision:B

Developmental potential: A

Stand abilities: Long Claws able to rip through Enemies. If blood is ingested, the enemy stand will be forced into a zombie like state unable to attack. This state can only be cured by either waiting 101 days or consuming animal souls (can be sped up quicker with human souls)

Stand Weakness: poor defence, a glass canon

Battle Cry: BOW

——————————————————————

Favourite band: The Bangles

Favourite color: warm colors (or Baja Blast Blue shh Ofc he knows what a Baja blast is)

Favourite animal: cats

Favourite movie: Bambi

Favourite school subject: Science

[mycptsdstory]

Everyone talks about their disability and how it effects them. THAT IS FAIR.

HOWEVER, let's talk about the children/adults who are also the caretakers, the ones with no disabilities and with a neurological brain. The ones who do everything for their siblings. SOMETIMES and I mean SOMETIMES they are called the Glass Child.

Let's Talk about the Glass Child.

(Link from the screenshot above)

The Glass Child is often referred to as the Forgotten Child, since the parents forget about the other child's needs. Since they don't have a disability or neurodivergent brain. The parent will often use all their attention on the other sibling with a disability, because they need more care and observation. The other child will be left behind because they don't need that much attention. This will lead the child to feel hopeless and worthless, hence the Glass Child.

The Glass Child will often be;

Fiercely independent – they don’t ask for help when they need it and feel more responsibility at a younger age.

Fear – Did I cause this? Can/will this also happen to me?

Pressured/perfectionism/high standards – too many demands placed on them, feeling they can’t make a mistake; they must do things perfect to “not rock the boat”.

Silenced/feeling forgotten – let them have a voice, they want to be seen and heard.

(link to the bullet points)

The Glass Child SOMETIMES have to look after their disabled sibling and help out with their parents. Due to this, their needs aren't being met and they often feel isolated, let down and this can cause depression and anxiety in their adult life. Since they help out the parents, they seek validation and people please, all because their needs aren't being met. Again, this can cause resentment and feeling left out. They often feel, they aren't "good enough", since the parents will put all the attention on the other sibling. They will often push back hospital appointments, dental appointments and other important needs last, since the other sibling needs more attention than the 'Glass Child'. They often feel "less important".

Even to a point the Glass Child will ignore their own medical conditions, because the other sibling with a disability, will have their needs met, compared to the Glass Child. This CAN and MAYBE cause trauma to their childhood to adult life, since they didn't put their needs in front of their own. The Glass Child simply ignored their needs because they weren't "good enough". Again, this can cause resentment towards the other sibling with a disability.

Moreso, to leave high paying jobs, to look after the sibling. Moving back home, to make sure the sibling is taken care of. Again, ignoring their needs and wishes. Also again, can cause resentment. Even a rift in the family.

What are the results in Adult life?

Having problems to connect with people on a deep level

Struggle making friends

Depression

Anxiety

Self-hatred/unhealthy self-esteem

Being overly concerned for other people well being and not putting their needs first

People pleasing

Finding it hard to set boundaries

Finding it hard to say "no".

Being "perfect"

Guilt

Self-blame

Invisibility during social interactions

(Link to some of the bullet points)

All of this, combined, the Glass Child doesn't feel loved. Since, the disabled sibling will get their needs met first, while the Glass Child will not.

WORST WORST WORST case scenario, being a Glass Child can and I mean POSSIBLY cause PTSD or CPTSD.

Glass children take on mature responsibilities at a young age.

They might feel obligated to do more around the house or have higher expectations of themselves because they’re more capable. They might even start assuming caregiver responsibilities for their sibling. As a result, the glass child may miss out on some normal childhood activities and experiences.

For example, a glass child may not participate in afterschool activities if they feel the need to be home to care for their sibling or don’t want to add logistical pressure on their parents.

Some studies suggest glass children are prone to anxiety or depression. The circumstances of a glass child often lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, or hopelessness. When action isn’t taken early on to make the child feel validated and they internalize these feelings, the child may be more likely to suffer from clinical anxiety, depression, or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as teens and adults.

(Link from this article. Look I know it's Wiki, but this is honestly a great example and helps to understand on a basic level. Since not everyone can understand big long fancy words.)

Here are some links to help you understand Glass Child more;

[not-goldy]

My heart hurts to hear about your ex. I too gave to the point of feeling depleted, used and empty . I was always the sibling that organized family dinners for family birthdays, special holidays and celebrations. I organized the gifts, using my money to float my brothers & sisters, left often with one of them not paying me back. No big deal I’d think to myself, the important thing was my loved one was happy.

My ex husband was lazy in our relationship, leaving me to organize & buy & ship Christmas gifts to his family out of town, do all the Christmas shopping and wrapping, baking, cooking while raising two kids & working full time in a high stress management position.

I fulfilled every role possible while working full time: wife, mother, maid, nurse, accountant, party planner, yard keeper, cook, therapist and was even scheduling my husband’s haircuts & dental appointments. He was “too busy” and his complaining was so irritating I would simply do it myself.

It was the loss of my health & therapy for my anxiety and depression that I discovered why I was the giver in the relationship, the hand to hold & the one to count on.

I discovered it had to do with my upbringing. My bio brother was angry and resentful after my parents divorce so if I wanted things done, I did it myself. He’d sign his name to the card for the gift I’d purchase & I’d clean the house & do the cooking for birthdays. My single mother would be too exhausted after working 50+ hours a week to support us after my father left when I was 6, my brother 9.

After my monumental effort I was praised, complimented on my thoughtfulness. This feeling of appreciation became addictive and honestly the only time my mother would pay any attention to me. She suffered from depression, low self esteem stemming from my father’s affairs. He ended up getting a single mother with two young sons pregnant and she stuck her claws in, refusing to let go.

After years of my father not coming home at nights he left one day for good. At age 10. I received a phone call from my father I had a sister. I didn’t even know she was pregnant, his visits to see my brother and I were so infrequent we hardly got passed the 20 questions about our school work and were regularly reprimanded for not helping our mother out enough. My mother liked her role as the victim so us kids often filled the role of therapist, best friend and cheerleader when she got really low. The list of chores seemed endless, often cutting into time we should have spent on homework, leaving us to finish late into the evenings or getting up 2 hours early before school. It wasn’t a perfect life but I was happy.

I continued my role of giver, never receiver in my friendships and early relationships. It was who I was, or so I thought.

After years of living in a loveless marriage we divorced, the Catholic Church be damned and I found myself on my own for the first time in many years. I had no interests, no hobbies, no passion. With two grown children with spouses of their own our group dinners moved to restaurants. I couldn’t over extend myself with family dinners, special celebrations with their busy schedules. Out of loneliness I adopted a dog. This eventually led me to volunteering for search and rescue with my canine companion & opened up a whole world of scentwork & tracking.

I became fast friends with one of the instructors and our relationship quickly progressed.

She’s incredibly talented, smart and a take no bullshit, potty mouthed, ball busting bitch. I’d die for her, I love her that much. When I get caught into my family’s drama or they pull their manipulative crap about staying at our place for a vacation, she’s there to help reel me in from over extending myself. It doesn’t happen often, I’m usually fine with setting my boundaries but the occasional weak moment slips through.

I’m still that ride or die friend, considerate and helpful sibling, daughter. I contribute to a point, never more, never less than my siblings. It was a bumpy transition, I won’t lie. My first relationship after my divorce left me resentful and bitter but it was an excellent lesson. People will take as much as you have to offer. They aren’t bad people, simply used to being receivers, telling themselves I am happy when they’re happy, which is true but only to a point. Then come to rely on us, count on us because let’s face it, we’re pretty fucking incredible.

I needed to learn to give less, limiting my time & energy to doing something fulfilling for myself. It happens to be volunteering, which one can argue that I haven’t grown, just simply giving in another way. The difference? This brings me satisfaction & happiness. I’ve improved my searching & tracking skills with my dog which boosts self esteem. The rewards are huge, a child or elderly person with dementia is found. I can rest in the knowledge that my time & energy were well spent. These people needed our team, deserved our help.

I’m not saying this is what your situation is. I am sharing my experiences in case you recognize yourself in some part. My suggestion to anyone who’s the giver in a relationship is to begin giving to yourself. Discover something new about yourself, treat yourself as you have others. Invest some time and energy in making yourself happy. We will always be givers, it’s who we are whether nature or nurture, we’re pretty much who we’re always going to be. Hopefully you’ll find something that reciprocates your energy, whether it be a person or hobby. You deserve to be happy & loved.

With appreciation for your blog & your honesty,

Carolyn

The burn out is real!!!

Thanks for sharing Carolyn.

I've been on here for quite a while and only know a handful of people by name. It's why I used to tag my posts with my name as a reminder to myself and others I'm a person. I am touched Carolyn. I used to read a lot of your messages and laugh my heart out and at a point I was always looking forward to your post till my dms became overwhelming. It felt as if everyone wanted my attention and as you mentioned I'm just drained and exhausted burnt out from giving to others even if it's something as inconsequential as my attention.

That's when I noticed things were that bad between us. I loved her so much and experienced so much anxiety when we had our last fight. Our moots tried to reconcile us and I was so looking forward to rekindling the relationship but I just couldn't bring myself to go in for more neglect stonewalling closed off communication constantly downplaying the impact of her actions on the relationship, playing the victim never apologizing first when they was wrong reducing every argument into whose right or wrong never being as thoughtful making me feeling lonely emotionally exhausted mentally traumatized and drained dealing with her baggage - so your story resonates.

I miss her and wanted her back but I just can't do this anymore not when I feel like myself again without her. It's quiet and peaceful and my brain doesn't feel like someone is pointing a sun death ray at it 247.

And I don't know why our moots keep sending my posts to her. She called and texted and said she was sorry she didn't know I felt that way at all.

I'm losing my mind over here. I think she just has to face the fact she is not the good person she thinks she is.

Your story with your ex husband sounds similar to hers though..... Or may be I just have a type🥲

She was a divorcee with kids. Had a really toxic ex husband and as you mentioned she just had too much to deal with with her ex husband. I knew her before the divorce and though at the time she made me feel and think I was the one pursuing her, in hindsight I think she played me. constantly calling and crying and sharing her challenges in her marriage calling me over because she couldn't stand being alone in the house with her husband- come to think of it she should have called the police like what was I going to do? Yet like a fool I went anyway. I was even babysitting cooking for the kids picking them from school picking clothes for them- they was our kids😭😹

I admired her strength and her resilience and saw her as a mentor of a sort because she had it all from my POV.

Before her divorce she would always use her kids and her husband conveniently as the reason she couldn't give much to me and yet conveniently set them aside if she wanted something from me. She only cared about them when I wanted something from her and gave zero fucks about them when she wanted something from me. That should have been my first red sign.

For instance, when I was sick and wanted her to come visit or wanted to go visit she would say oh my husband is gonna be around or the kids need x or y and i gotta respect my family home so I can't be there for you right now.

Yet sis was fucking me in her husband's bed while the kids was downstairs and what not whenever SHE wanted some smeshy time😵‍💫

Saw her through her divorce tried to be her pillar and support so her world wouldn't fall apart, constantly encouraging her to go for the things she felt too intimidated to try changed jobs for her moved to a new city for her constantly putting her needs first and playing dumb and stupid killed my ego and pride so she could hold on to hers but when she couldn't even bring herself to say sorry to me when she hurt me that's when I knew. Sorry is care and love and she couldn't even do that for me.

Took me too long to realize the pattern but I'm glad I'm free of her- hope they send this too to her😚

Barbara, Carolyn, Gina- I never forget names. Thanks for that very human touch it made this all the more meaningful.